Swimming appliance.



G. G. BAILEY.

SWIMMING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1909',

Patented Aug19, 1910.

THE Mamas PErERs ca. WASHINGTON. n. c.

GEORGE G. BAILEY, 0F BLUEFIELD, WEST VIRGINIA.

SWIMMING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Application filed March 30, 1909. Serial No. 486,672.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bluefield, in the county of Mercer and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Swimming Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to swimming appliances, the object in view being to provide a set of swimming appliances adapted to be fastened upon the limbs of the swimmer and embodying feathering fins which are designed by reason of their action to aid the swimmer both in safety and speed, the feathering fins working automatically and adjusting themselves to the movements and stroke of the limbs of the swimmer.

\Vith the above genera]. object in view, the invention consists in the novel construe tion, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the appliances adapted for application to the wrist or arm of the swimmer, showing the fins feathered or folded inward. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the fins in their outward or operative position. Fig. 3 is a cross section through Fig. 2.

Two of the appliances shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are provided and designed to be secured to the wrists of the swimmer. Each of said appliances embodies a pair of attaching bands 1 and 2 arranged at any suitable distance apart, the said bands being flexible and of suitable length to pass around the wrists or arms and to overlap at their extremities where they are provided with a suitable fastening device illustrated at 3 which is shown for convenience as consisting of a tongue or hook fastened to one extremity and adapted to be inserted through one of a series of holes 4 in the overlapping extremity of the hand.

To the bands 1 and 2 are connected hinge plates 5, the said hinge plates being set opposite each other and being connected by rods or bars 6 which also form the hinge pins for the fins. The fins 7 are preferably constructed of sheet metal and are hinged along their inner edges to the hinge plates 5 by providing said fins with knuckles 8 through which the hinge pins 6 pass. These fins 7 are adapted to fold inward and out ward as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the inward movements thereof being limited by the bands 1 and 2, while the outward movements of the fins are limited by stops 9 consisting of rigid projections on the combined connecting rods and hinge pins 6, the same being clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that in the forward stroke of the limits of the swimmer, the blades of all the appliances are automatically feathered and in the back strokes, the fins aiitoniatimlly swing outward to the outer limits of their movements and increase the surface of re sistance, thereby materially aiding the swimmer and enabling him to attain a greater speed than he would be able to attain with out the appliances described.

I claim A swimming appliance comprising a pair of flexible attaching bands spaced apart and adapted to encircle the swimmers limb, means on each band for fastening the extremities thereof together, metal hinge plates arranged in alined pairs and fastened to said bands, rods connecting corresponding hinge plates on said bands, stops on said rods, and feathered fins pivotally mounted at their inner edges on said rods, said rods thereby forming connectors for said flexible bands, hinge pins for the feathered fins, and supports for the stops, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE O. BAILEY.

Witnesses:

W. F. ALEXANDER, W. F. BANE. 

